How do I find a particular Bill or Supplementary Order Paper (SOP)?

Bills become publicly available once they have been introduced into the House of Representatives (although proposed Members' Bills become available after they have been lodged). SOPs become available after they have been circulated to members of Parliament.

Bills introduced since the start of 2003, and earlier Bills that are still before the House, and their related SOPs, are available from the New Zealand Parliament website, along with their legislative history and related information. Proposed Members' Bills are also available from the New Zealand Parliament website (note that these Bills have not been introduced to the House and so are not available through the New Zealand Legislation website). Plain text Bills, some from 1985, to 2007, and Supplementary Order Papers, 2004 to 2007, are also available from the Knowledge Basket.

How do I find out whether a Bill or any Legislative Instruments are being drafted?

Whether or not particular legislation, or legislation on a particular topic, is being drafted is generally confidential, and the Parliamentary Counsel Office cannot provide any information on this matter.

The Parliamentary Bulletin is published at the end of each sitting week of the House of Representatives. It lists the progress of legislation in that week, including Bills assented to, Bills introduced, and Bills before select committees. It also lists the Progress of legislation in the current Parliament. The Parliamentary Bulletin is available from Legislation Direct and some bookshops.

How do I get a copy of a select committee's report on a Bill?

When a select committee has considered a Bill, it will generally produce a report on its consideration. That report usually takes the form of a commentary on the Bill, and is published together with the Bill as reported back to the House from the select committee.

Sometimes a select committee will produce an interim report on a Bill. Interim reports are available on the New Zealand Parliament website. Interim reports are published annually as part of the Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, and are also sold individually by Legislation Direct and some bookshops.

How do I find a departmental report on a Bill?

When a select committee is considering a Bill, the select committee will usually ask the Government agency that is responsible for the Bill to produce a report based on the issues raised in the submissions.

Until a select committee has reported to the House on a Bill, its proceedings are confidential. However, once the select committee has reported the Bill back to the House, the proceedings of the committee (including the departmental report) are publicly available, with the exception of any secret evidence given to the committee. Copies of papers are lodged in the Parliamentary Library, and may be inspected on request by members of the public.

A copy of a departmental report may also be requested from the agency concerned under the Official Information Act 1982, once the select committee has reported to the House on the Bill.

How do I find submissions to a select committee on a Bill?

Submissions on a Bill are confidential until the select committee decides to release them. General practice is to release written submissions (if a hearing has not been requested) when the committee starts hearing oral submissions. The written part of oral submissions (if any) is released at the time the submission is heard by the committee.

Once the select committee has reported to the House, the proceedings of the committee (including the submissions) are publicly available, with the exception of any secret evidence given to the committee. Copies of papers (including submissions) are lodged in the Parliamentary Library, and may be inspected on request by members of the public.